Issue 2025. Т. 4. № 4

Theology: Theory and Practice

Scientific journal
ISSN (print) 2949-3951
ISSN (online) 2949-396X
Published since 2022

Ru

En

Theology: Theory and Practice

2025. Т. 4. № 4

Full text

Research

Archpriest, Doctor of Theology, Candidate in Sciences in Philosophy, Head of Department of History and Literature of Ancient Eastern Churches, St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities
E-mail: odavydenkov@yandex.ru

The article examines the time of literary activity of the famous Christian theologian Leontius of Jerusalem, who is known as the author of two polemical treatises “Against the Monophysites” and “Against the Nestorians”. The question of the exact dating of Leontius’s works is essential for understanding the logic of Christological discussions in Byzantium in the 6th — 7th centuries. Until recently, there was a consensus in patrology regarding the time of life of Leontius of Jerusalem, who was considered the author of the era of St. Emperor Justinian I the Great. However, in 2001, German scholar Dirk Krausmüller proposed a hypothesis according to which Leontius was an author of a later time, whose literary activity should be attributed to the beginning of the 7th century. D. Krausmüller’s hypothesis found its supporters but has not yet received universal recognition. The article attempts to test the hypothesis of the German patrologist. The author proceeds from the conviction that when dating ancient texts of theological content, especially damaged and interpolated ones, such as the Christological treatises of Leontius of Jerusalem, theological arguments should certainly have an advantage over stylistic and historical arguments, since by means of intentional or unintentional interpolations it is possible to introduce into the text of the work certain anachronisms that complicate its exact dating, however, it is practically impossible to falsify the cultural and historical, including theological, context in which the work was created. The article presents seven theological arguments (not counting several indirect arguments of a historical nature), testifying in favor of the traditional dating of the literary activity of Leontius of Jerusalem to the second quarter of the 6th century. At the same time, there is not a single theological argument that confirms the point of view of D. Krausmüller. Thus, the hypothesis of the latter does not stand theological verification. As a result, the author concludes that the theological content of the treatises of Leontius of Jerusalem testifies, rather, in favor of their traditional dating, that is, their attribution to the second quarter of the 6th century.

Keywords: Christological controversies, Chalcedonites, Monophysites, Leontius of Jerusalem, the dating of Leontius’ lifetime.
...
For citation: Davydenkov O.V. On the Dating of the Lifetime of Leontius of Jerusalem. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 5–16. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp001

Candidate of Technical Sciences, Master of Theology, Postgraduate Student of the Institute of Theology, St. Petersburg State University
E-mail: bukyrg59@gmail.com

This article examines the role of narrative and literary-rhetorical strategies of the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews in the study of parenetic texts, which play an important and sometimes crucial role in the theology of this book. Particular attention is paid to Hebrews 6:4–6, which forms the foundation of the doctrine of salvation for various Christian denominations and, as a result, has been the subject of theological debate for centuries. An analysis of existing sources devoted to the study of the Epistle to the Hebrews as a whole, as well as to parenetic passages in particular, has shown that researchers’ conclusions regarding the main theme, structure, individual discourses, and texts often differ significantly. A multitude of different approaches and methods used by various authors in their work on the Epistle and parenetic texts have been identified. It is shown that close attention has not been paid to assessing the influence of the role of narratives and literary-rhetorical methods of interpretation. It is proposed that when working with the Epistle, we consider the narratives of both large and embedded discourses, as well as literary-rhetorical devices, in conjunction with structural and grammatical-lexical analysis. This will allow for a more accurate understanding of these texts, both individually and in the context of the Epistle as a whole. A study of the text of Hebrews 6:4–6 using the proposed method allowed us to obtain more accurate results and to find answers to the following questions: to whom is this parenetic text addressed; who are the «fallen away»; why cannot they be renewed to repentance?
Keywords: Epistle to the Hebrews, parenesis, high priesthood of Christ, narrative, literary and rhetorical devices, repentance, theology, biblical studies, New Testament, Bible.
...
For citation: Shumilin A.V. The Role of the Narrative and Literary-Rhetorical Strategy of the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews in Understanding Parenetic Passages. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 17–37. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp002

Candidate of Theology, Doctor of Philosophy in Theology; Rector, Parish in honor of the Apostle Paul in Malta

Although the Caucasian Albanian Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in the world, founded, according to tradition, as a result of the preaching of the apostles and their disciples and formalized as an autocephalous, i.e., completely independent, religious institution in the 4th century, its history from the period following the Arab conquests of the South Caucasus until modern times remains poorly studied. Meticulous work with disparate information and fragmentary source reports allows us to write page after page of the historical chronicle of Azerbaijan's Christian past. One of the new sources on this topic was a topographic map from the collection of oriental manuscripts of Count Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli, prepared in Constantinople in 1691, discovered in 1991 in the library archives of the University of Bologna. The author of the document was a 17th-century intellectual, diplomat, explorer, and traveler. Ieremia Çelebi provides invaluable information about the structures of the Catholicosates of Etchmiadzin, Ganjasar, Cilicia, and Akhtamar, marking the most important cities, geographic features, diocesan centers, monastic communities, shrines, and pilgrimage sites on his map. Thanks to clearly defined boundaries and color markers, we can accurately identify the objects marked on the map as belonging to a particular religious center. The map contains information about episcopal sees, monasteries, sketes, and pilgrimage routes in the territory of historical Azerbaijan, which was then part of the Safavid Empire. In this article, we classify source data regarding the main pilgrimage routes and places of worship of the Ganjasar Catholicosate in the 17th century.

Keywords: Church of Caucasian Albania, Ganjasar Catholicosate, Christianity under the Safavids, Christianity in Azerbaijan, South Caucasus.
...
For citation: Nikonorov A.V. The pilgrimage tradition and places of worship of the Ganjasar Catholicosate under the Safavids. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 38–67. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp003

Master of Theology, Postgraduate Student; Dean of the Monastery, Saints Cyril and Methodius School for Postgraduate Studies; Kursk Root Monastery of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos is a men's hermitage of the Kursk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church
E-mail: ieromagapyithernishov@gmail.com

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the genesis and transformation of the Russian spiritual education system throughout the Synodal period. Through a systematic examination of regulatory acts, published sources, and archival materials, a holistic picture of its formation and development has been reconstructed. Originating alongside the first educational organizations, theological schools initially served the key function of training personnel for the Russian Orthodox Church. A fundamental stage in their institutionalization is associated with the reign of Peter I, who legislated the foundations of state policy in this sphere. The adopted «Spiritual Regulation» (1721) established the procedure for creating and maintaining theological schools at bishop’s residences and monasteries. These institutions, being oriented towards the children of the clergy, were closed in character. The foundations laid by Peter I saw consistent development in the subsequent period: there was a quantitative growth in theological educational institutions, and their graduates received priority in filling vacancies within the Holy Synod. A major milestone was the reform of 1808, which legally formalized a multi-tiered structure of spiritual education. Throughout the 19th century, the statutes of theological educational institutions were revised repeatedly. The objectives of these adjustments were: expanding the social composition of the student body, diversifying the career paths of graduates, and strengthening administrative control — a reaction to the spread of revolutionary sentiments among the student population. The final significant innovation was the Statute of the Orthodox Theological Academies of 1910, aimed at raising the educational level of students by expanding the curriculum. However, a systemic reform was never implemented.

Keywords: theological education, theological educational institutions, legislation, charter, Synodal period, Russian Church, Russian Empire, clergy, theology.
...
For citation: Chernyshov A.Yu. Modernization of the Clergy Training System in the Synodal Period: The Legislative Aspect. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 85–101. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp005

Doctor of Theology, Academic Researcher in Abrahamic Religions of the Clare Hall College, Cambridge University
E-mail: Elenarinskaya@yahoo.co.uk

This article examines the historical texts of ancient philosophy and the Church Fathers to demonstrate the continuity of their thought and to establish a framework for dialogue as an ongoing process of human self-discovery. It focuses on the conception of the human person expressed through the body-soul-spirit triad and its transformation within Christian anthropology. The study traces the evolution of these categories from Platonic tripartition and Aristotelian hylomorphism to their synthesis and reinterpretation by thinkers such as Irenaeus of Lyons, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, and Augustine. The author argues that while patristic thought borrowed philosophical categories from Hellenism, it subordinated them to biblical revelation, striving to preserve the integrity and unity of the human person created in the image of God. The article proposes a methodology that is both historical and constructive: historical in its genealogical tracing of ideas and constructive in its commitment to rearticulating these insights in the context of contemporary anthropological challenges. The central thesis is that patristic anthropology, with its emphasis on the unity of the person, the dynamics of moral freedom, and the orientation toward deification (theosis), offers a rich resource for productive dialogue with modern psychology. This dialogue can enrich both disciplines: psychology can find in the theological tradition a profound ontological understanding of the human being, while theology can integrate empirical insights into human nature. In conclusion, the author calls for an open, interdisciplinary conversation based on the principles of humility, curiosity, and mutual respect, which would contribute to a more holistic and integrated understanding of the human person.

Keywords: philosophical anthropology, patristics, image of God, deification, science and religion, psychology, theology, tripartism, hylomorphism, patristic theology.
...
For citation: Narinskaya E. Setting the Stage for Interdisciplinary Dialogue on Anthropology: Psychology and Theology in Conversation. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 102–132. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp006

Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Saint Petersburg State University
E-mail: a.shaginyan@spbu.ru

In the “Armenian Book of Canons,” codified firstly in 719, under No. 42 are listed nine “Canons of the Holy Council convened in Theodosiopolis, which is now called Karin.” The preamble of its Protocol speaks of the Armenian-Romano-Byzantine joint council, which took place at the behest of Emperor Justinian and under the chairmanship of the Armenian Catholicos Sahak. Since the time of the Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Malachia (1896–1908), there has been an opinion that this refers to Justinian II (685–695, 705–711) and Sahak III Dzoraporetsi (677–704), since two of the nine rules were allegedly not relevant in earlier eras. Vazgen Hakobyan, who edited the “Armenian Book of Canons” (1964–1971), in view of the absence of data about these “Canons of the Holy Council…” in medieval literature, as well as the peculiar definition of the dogmas of Orthodoxy in the preamble of its Act, declared that this document was a “fake original.” However, the analysis of the same two rules, indirect references to three rules in the letter of Stepanos, Bishop of Syunik‘ (d. 735), addressed to Antioch, the analysis of the context of the preamble of the Synodal Act, and indirect references in two narrative sources to the convening of such a council, allowed A.K. Shahinyan not only to prove their authenticity. As he demonstrated, “The Canons of the Holy Council convened in Theodosiopolis…” could well have been adopted under the chairmanship of Catholicos Sahak II Ułketsi (534–539) and by order of Emperor Justinian I the Great (527–565) in 534 or 535. The definition of the dogmas of Orthodoxy in them was completely consistent with the spirit of the so-called “unforeseen” theological decree of Justinian I of 533.

Keywords: Armenia, Karin Councils, Armenian Book of Canons, Sahak II Ulketsi, Justinian the Great, Sahak III Dzoraporetsi, Justinian II, Byzantium, church history, Christianity.
...
For citation: Shahinyan A.K. On the origin of the canons of the legislative council convened in Theodosiopolis-Karin. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 133–152. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp007

Monastery Inhabitant, Gorodnitsky St. George Stavropegic Monastery of the Kyiv Diocese
Monastyrska str., 1, Gorodnitsa village, Zvyagelsky district, Zhytomyr region, Ukraine, 11714
E-mail: alexxandergloba@gmail.com

Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor, Russian Christian Academy for Humanities named after Fyodor Dostoevsky
15A, Fontanka river embankment, Saint Petersburg, 191023
E-mail: kira459@list.ru

The article presents an analysis of modern concepts of human nature transformations in the light of traditional spiritual and religious teachings. Modernity is considered in the light of the Renaissance ideas, Christian in their origins. The development of rational ideas about human nature is associated with the development of medicine as a practice of helping a person to restore mental and physical harmony and health, as well as with the general scientific attitude to rationalize knowledge about a person. The latest medical technologies in ideological aspects intersect with the ideological attitudes of transhumanism as a teaching that presents a person with absolute freedom in physical and spiritual self-determination. The spiritual tradition emphasizes that all aspects of human corporeality are associated with his identity and self-awareness. In this sense, medical intervention is a possible violation of the natural course of things, a person’s rejection of the idea of predestination. Considering that neither spiritual teachings nor medical ethics have unambiguous answers in specific existential situations of human moral choice, the attention of researchers, experts and pastors in solving and interpreting moral issues arising in connection with the development of new medical technologies should be focused precisely on human moral choice.

Keywords: Modernity, human, transformation of nature, humanism, transhumanism, artificial, ethics, religion.
...
For citation: Globa A.A., Preobrazhenskaya K.V. Alternative Human Projects: Spiritual Aspects of Latest Biotechnologies. Theology: Theory and Practice, 2025, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 153–169. https://doi.org/10.65324/ttp008

Open Access Journal — Creative Commons

«Attribution-NonCommercial» 4.0

Articles are accepted in electronic form

theology@theoltp.com

Articles of at least are accepted for publication

~ 10 thousand words and originality of at least 90%

Theology: Theory and Practice, 2022